


Light in the Hallway

by The_Onyx_Moon



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 19:43:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18505774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Onyx_Moon/pseuds/The_Onyx_Moon
Summary: An angsty one-shot, written in the point of view of our favorite trickster as he goes through his final moments.





	Light in the Hallway

**Author's Note:**

> This sat on my tumblr for long enough, figured I'd better share it here too.   
> This came to me while listening to Light in The Hallway by Pentatonix. I recommend listening to it while reading.

There was nothing that could describe the feeling of dread that found its way deep into the pit of Loki’s gut.  Once he’d seen the massive ship, he knew all too well what was coming.  Still, he hoped and wished and prayed to anything and anyone who would listen that his fears wouldn’t be true.  But of course, they were.  Because Thanos and his followers were like a plague that burnt out any light they crossed.

Loki had served the tyrant once before, though unwillingly and under the control of the mind stone.  Still, he knew better than anyone what Thanos wanted and what horrors he was capable of.

And watching the Mad Titan toss The Hulk around like it was nothing only solidified his fear.  Never had he seen the green giant be bested, but there he laid, prone and beaten within an inch of his life.

When Heimdall’s power rushed through the remnants of their ship, Loki could’ve wept in relief.  There was only one place he would’ve sent their ally, a place with the other heroes and warriors who had bested Thanos’s control over Loki himself all those years ago.  Heimdall was no fool, and as he watched Thanos plunge his blade into The Gatekeeper’s chest, he knew that he had used what power he had left to send Hulk - and Bruce - to Earth for a reason.

Perhaps there was hope yet.

Which is exactly why Loki knew what he had to do.

“If you’re going to Earth you might want a guide.  I do have a bit of…experience in that arena.”  There was no escaping the glare of the giant man before him, nor that of his brother - eyes burning into the side of the trickster’s head.  Loki didn’t need to look at Thor to know that tears were threatening those eyes, along with the words  _Loki, don’t!_ screaming at him from their depths.

“If you consider failure experience.”

“I consider experience experience,”  Loki says, trying with all his might to convey his typical flippancy so as not to alert Thanos of his ulterior motive.  The titan’s look is unreadable, and his heart hammers in his chest.

The only ones from Asgard or Sakaar that were left alive were the two royal brothers…soon to be one, if Loki didn’t move fast enough.

But for Thor, and ultimately the entire universe, that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

Swallowing any hesitations he may have had, Loki weaves his words carefully, letting his silver tongue coax the warlord into a deal - at least, he hoped.

“I, Loki, God of Mischief,”  He spoke confidently, not daring take a single peak at his grieving brother beside him.  He was somewhat thankful for the restraint over the blonde’s mouth for there was no doubt in his mind that he had seen Loki’s conjured dagger.  “Do hereby pledge to you my undying fidelity.”

A breath.

Two.

Then he lashes out, dagger poised straight for Thanos’s jugular.

But he doesn’t quite make it before blue energy is crushing down on his arm with an agonizing pressure - one so strong he can’t even move his fingers in shock to drop the dagger.

“You should choose your words more carefully.”

He knew this was a possibility, even he could only outrun death for so long.  And now here it was staring him in the face.  That same hateful, hideous stare that bore into his very soul and demanded his allegiance and power to wreak havoc on Earth.

The pain in his arm is gone, replaced now by a fist wound tightly around his airway.  

The ever calm god drops his facade almost instantly, body thrashing as Thanos lifts him by the throat.  His eyes well up, his lungs burn, and his gaze finds his brother.  His brother who he can tell is doing everything he can to break free from his bindings.

“You,” he chokes out with what little air is left.  “Will never be” a ringing in his ears, a numbing like chill spreading from his chest to all his limbs.  Still, he bites out “A God.”

Then…nothing.

No pain.

No tears.

He doesn’t even feel his body hit the ground, where he is flung to land in front of his brother’s shaking form.

Its as if he isn’t  _really_  there.

Thanos is saying something to his brother, powerful voice booming as he raises his fist before he and his minions disappear.

The moment Thor is free, he drags his own broken form to Loki’s hoping against all hope that this was just another one of Loki’s shows, that he would smirk at him and tease him for believing his tricks once more.

But as Thor fists his fingers in his brother’s leather armor, that moment never comes.

Instead, Loki lays completely still as not one, but two pairs of hands rest against his chest.

It’s when he feels the second pair that he rouses, though Thor doesn’t seem to notice.  With a furrowed brow, he reaches for his older brother his jaw dropping when his hand actually reaches  _through_  him.

Then he notices it, notices _himself_ laying where he’d been tossed and the realization settles in, replacing the fear and agony that had been taking residence in his gut.

Realization evolves into understanding, then relief.

“Loki,” a voice that isn’t Thor says.  His spectral form turns toward the sound all while his body stays perfectly still.  If he’d still been  _in_ that body, he’s sure he would’ve gasped.

“Mother?”

No, this was impossible, Frigga was dead.  She didn’t use any illusions or perform any tricks.  The queen wouldn’t dare cast a petty illusion like Loki had.  No, she had died a hero while protecting the Midgardian Jane Foster.

“Loki, my dear, it’s alright.”  He is tempted to pinch himself, vision blurring with tears as he reaches for her face fully expecting to reach through her like he’d done with Thor.

Instead, his hand successfully cups her cheek, and he openly weeps.

“Mother, how are you…”  The queen scoops her youngest against her, cradling his shuddering form in her embrace.  “You’re real.  You’re here.  Why…how…mother?”

“Loki, my love,”  She shushes, squeezing him tighter in her arms.  “It’s time to come home.”

He pulls away, brows furrowing once more as he looks into the kind green eyes he’s missed so desperately.

“I don’t understand, Asgard was destroyed.  There’s no home to go back to.”

Her smile never falters, her fingers curling around his own.

“Your father and I have missed you so much.”  She says, her voice a constant comfort for the younger Odinson.

“Father…but why?  It wasn’t exactly a happy reunion when I saw him last.”

Still, that kind gaze doesn’t waver.

“Loki, your father and I are so proud of you.  You helped save the people of Asgard who _are_  Asgard itself.  You sacrificed yourself for your brother, to erase everything that monster had made you do before.  Loki, I couldn’t be prouder of you.  Your  _father_  couldn’t be prouder of you.”

He’d heard those words before but never directed at him.  Only Thor.  But to hear that now…

“He’s…proud of me?”

“Why don’t you come see for yourself?  We’ve missed you, my son.”

He hesitates, hand sliding from hers for a moment.  He swallows raw emotion creeping up his throat as he looks to his brother sobbing over his own broken form.  The sight is beyond jarring.

“Mother,”  He admits with some difficulty.  He’d always been so strong for her, so sure of himself.  But now?  “Mother…I’m scared.”

“Shh, my love,”  She coos, smoothing down long raven locks.  “It’s alright.  I’m here.”

Frantic green eyes meet their calm opposites.

“But Thor-”  He cries, once more reaching for his brother in vain.

“Still has much to do, darling.  You will see him again, I promise.  But for now, come.  Odin is waiting.”  For the first time ever, Loki finds he doesn’t fear the sentiment but rather cherishes it.

And when he embraces his mother’s spectral form with his own following her to peace, a blinding purple light explodes all around them as Thor is flung to his trials and battles to come.

**Author's Note:**

> I…I don’t even know anymore. I’m sorry. I'm in a dark place rn. This helped.


End file.
